Flower display box



y 1939- E. L. GOULD 2,157,954

FLOWER DISPLAY BOX Filed April 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 9, 1939., E. 1.. GOULD FLOWER DISPLAY BOX Filed April 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WWW Patented May 9, 1939 UNITED STATES FLOWER DISPLAY BOX Edgar L. Gould, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to E. E.

Fairchild Corporation, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 5, 1938, Serial No. 200,248

' Claims.

The present invention relates generally to flower boxes and more'particularly to that type of box which may be stored in considerable quantity in flat or collapsed positions for easy, quick 5 erection to permit of the ready insertion of the flowers, the primary object of the invention being the provision of a box of this type and an insert therefor, the latter of which is provided with flower holding means as well as means cooperating with the box in a manner to hold the flowers in one position within the box irrespective of whether the latter is laid fiatwise, sidewise or upended.

More specifically, the present invention aims to provide an insert for a flower display box, having I means whereby the flowers may be readily disposed in connection with the insert and the latter subsequently readily and easily inserted in the box so as to cooperate with the latter in the subsequent immovable support of the flowers to the end that the box may be shifted from one position to another and stood up endwise to better display its contents without danger of the flowers falling or becoming injured by reason of 'c0ntact with the box.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the present invention and form a part of the specification: 1

Figure l is a plan view of the blank of the improved box and insert in detached relation.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the improved box set up, with the insert adjacent thereto and ready for insertion therein.

Figure 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view '35 through the box closed, with the insert therein.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken therethrough substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the closed box with the insert therein, showing the same upended in a convenient display position.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of an insert showing a slightly modified form.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section through the box showing the insert of Figure 6 in position therein.

Figure 8 is a vertical transverse section taken therethrough substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure "I.

Figure v9 is a top plan view of another insert illustrating a further modification.

Figure 10 is a longitudinal section through the box showing the insert of Figure 9 therein, and

Figure 11 is a vertical transverse section taken 55 on line ll-I| of Figure 10.

Referring now to these figures, the invention contemplates what is commonly known as a window display box formed of a blank as shown in Figure 1, including a bottom l0, sides II and I2, and. a top l3, which in the blank are continua- 6 tions of one another, having fold lines It therebetween so that they may be folded into the rectangular shape shown in Figure 2. The terminal side I2 at one end of the blank opposite to the bottom Ill is provided along its free edge with 0 a connecting strip l5 bendable along fold line l6 between the same and the side l2, so that, when the sides and top are flexed on the fold lines It to the rectangular shape of Figure 2, the terminal strip l5 may be adhesively secured along the free 15 side edge of the bottom Ill, preferably upon its upper or inner surface. For this purpose the strip I5 may be provided with an adhesive along one face thereof or an adhesive may be provided along the upper surface of the free edge of the 2 bottom I0 as seen at I! in Figure l.

When the sides II and I2 and top l3 are folded and the terminal strip l5 adhesively secured to the bottom Ill, an elongated rectangular structure is formed which is open at its opposite ends, the 25 latter being adapted to be closedby inner meeting end flaps l8 forming foldable end continuations of the sides II and i2, and outer full end flaps l9 forming foldable continuations of the ends of the bottom l0, whichclose over the inner 30 flaps I8 and have bendable terminal lips 20 which are extended between the top I3 and the adjacent edges of the inner flaps l8 in the final closure.

The sides H and I2 as well as the top l3 are provided with elongated sight openings those of ,35 the sides being indicated at 2| and the opening of the top being indicated at 22 and the entire body of the box is covered by a section of transparent material such as Cellophane, as indicated at 23, this section of material extending over the 4 outer faces of the sides and tops andhaving its terminal side edges extended beneath 'andadhesively secured to the lower surface of the, bottom It, as indicated at 24 in Figure 4.,

As made up in the first instance, 'the-,biank s are 45 folded and secured in the rectangular fornifof Figure 2 in the manner above described afndifby reason of the fact that the transparent material or Cellophane section extends loosely over the'sides and top, it is obvious'that the box body maybe laterally collapsed and furnished to fiorists in this condition whereby prior to their use, and stacked in laterally collapsed conditions, they will occupy a minimum of storage space, ready for quick erection in a single movement from the collapsed position to the position of use shown in Figure 2, so that little time will be required for the proprietor or clerk to adjust the box ready for the insertion of the flowers.

The insert provided by the present invention may take several forms, of which the most simple form is shown in Figures 1 to '55, inclusive, consisting as it does of a single rectangular section of cardboard or similar material, as indictaed at 25, and of approximately the same size as the bottom III of the box, so that when inserted lengthwise within the box, with the closing flaps of the latter in the open position of Figure 2, the flower holding insert 25 occupies the full area of the bottom l0. At its ends the insert 25 is provided with endwise outstanding bendable ears 26 and after positioning of the insert within the box body as just above stated, and closure of the inner end flaps I8, the cars 26 which will, in this position, extend beyond the closed flaps IE, will be bent upwardly when the outer flaps H! are closed and will thus upstand between the inner and outer flaps l8 and 20, so that the former serve to effectively confine the insert 25 closely against the bottom l0.

For the support of the flowers, the flat card-' board insert 25 may have along its median longitudinal portion a series of zigzag kerfs or slits forming a series of alternately oppositely projecting overlapping tongues 21, between which portions of the stems of the flowers may be extended. The insert is also preferably provided at a point intermediate its ends and upon opposite sides of the line of tongues 21, with oppositely arranged kerfs or slits defining curved tongues 28 beneath which the opposite ends of an elastic band 29 may be anchored, the band extending over the stems of the flowers to avoid danger of their lateral displacement from beneath the tongues 21.

Obviously, with this form of insert, the ends of which are thus securely held between end closures of the box to prevent the insert from movement bodily away from the box bottom ill, the box in its closed completed form shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 may be laid on its side or upended as in Figure 5 without danger of the flowers falling against the sides or top,of the box and with every assurance that the flowers will be held flrmly in upright position against the bottom of the box whereby uniformly efiective display will continue, especially with the box in the upended position of Figure 5, until the end closure flaps are released. With the single piece insert 25 of Figure 2, there is, however, the possibility that the weight of the flowers may cause such longitudinal flexure of the insert as to tend to pull its anchoring ears 26 from beneath the inner end flaps l8 and, in order to avoid this possibility, I may provide the insert 30 of Figure 6, the body of which is in all respects the same as the insert 25 of Figure 2,

with its stem holding tongues 21, its endwise extending locking ears 26 and its elastic band .fholding tongues 28. The insert 30, however, is additionally provided along its longitudinal side edgeswith laterally extending narrow strips 3| daptedto be bent upwardly by reason of the afield lines 32 between the same and the body of the upwardly bent side strips 3| of the insert serve'to lend lengthwise stability and rigidity to the body of the insert in order to defeat any tendency of the latter to flex in the direction of its length under the weight of the flowers carried thereby.

I may also utilize an insert 33 as shown in Figure 9, having its body provided with endwise projecting locking ears 25 and with flower holding tongues 21* and 28, the same as those shown in connection with the inserts of Figures 2 and 6. The insert 33 may, however, be provided with full side portions 34 instead of the side strips 3| of Figure 6, that is, side portions 34 which are of approximately the height of the sides II and I2 of the box. These side portions will, of course, be joined to the body by fold lines 35 and it will be necessary that they have window openings 35, the latter of which are of slightly greater proportions than the window openings 2| of the box sides II and I2. In this way, the insert, having the full side extensions 34, is not only longitudinally reinforced by these side extensions but the latter cooperate with the sides of the box after the insert is placed therein to reinforce the box itself.

It is obvious that in providing a box and a box insert of the present type, the invention promotes considerable advantage by reason of the fact that the insert is in its effective position held snugly against the bottom of the box without requiring the operator to do anything to bring about this result. It is plain that upon disposition of the insert within the box, the inner end flaps l8 are then folded inwardly in the same manner it would in any event be necessary. The anchoring ears outstanding endwise from the insert will thus project beyond the end flaps l8 and beneath their lower edges and will be folded upwardly between the inner end flaps i8 and the outer end flaps 19 when the latter are folded upwardly preparatory to the extension of their locking tongues 20 between the upper edges of the inner end flaps l8 and the top l3 of the box.

What is claimed is:

1. A flower display box having foldably united bottom, side, and top walls forming an openended body, the top and side walls having window openings and the side and bottom walls having end closure flaps of which the flaps of the bottom wall overlie the flaps of the side walls in the closed position, and a flower holding insert consisting of a flat body adapted to closely overlie the bottom of the box and having flower holding means, the said insert being movable into the box endwise of the latter and being provided with endwise projecting members bendable with respect thereto and extending in the closed position of the box angularly with respect to the insert between the inner and outer closing flaps of the body.

2. A flower display box comprising an endwise open body including bottom, side, and top walls, of which the side and top walls are provided with window openings and are foldably in connection with oneanother and with the bottom,

means, said insert having endwise projecting locking ears extending beneath the side wall flaps and positioned angularly with respect to the insert between the said side wall flaps and theclosure flaps of the box bottom.

:l.v A flower display box having ioldably united bottom, side and top walls forming a laterally collapsible open-ended body, certain of said walls having window openings through which the contents of the box in erected position rnay be viewed, certain of said walls having endwise extending hinged closure flaps overlapping one another'in the closed position, and a flower holding insert having a flat body overlying the bottom Wall of the box, said insert being endwise shiftable into the box body and having endwise projecting .portions bendable with respect thereto at the ends thereof, and extending angularly with respect to said insert in the closed position of the box, between the overlapping closure flaps at the closed ends of the box and beneath the lower edges of certain of said flaps to thus confine the insert against the bottom wall.

4. A box as claimed in claim 3 in which the body of the insert is also provided with upwardly projecting longitudinal side extensions at the inner surfaces of the box side walls.

5. A box as claimed in claim 3, said insert having longitudinal side portions projecting angularly upwardly with respect to its body portion and along the box side walls for the full height of the latter.

EDGAR L. GOULD. 

